ID Go: A couple settles in Josephine County, Oregon, where they learn their new neighbor has a deadly past. Now, as relations sour and tempers flare, blood will be spilled on this land…. -Homeowner Hell, Fear Thy Neighbor (S2, E11)

Date: September 7, 2013Victim: Laron Estes, 59, Army veteran, former industrial welder, disabledOffender: Donald Easley, 64, Army veteran (two tours), disabledLocation: Kerby, Oregon (Josephine County)Circumstances: Laron collected junk & it annoyed neighbors, Laron cut down an apple tree for no reason, Donald killed his former neighbor, Laron’s dogs were barking all the time, Laron didn’t like cats in his vegetable garden, Donald put up lights for his mother’s safety but they were shining on Laron’s property & too bright, Laron put up plastic barrier to block light, Donald installed another light shining on Laron’s property, Donald started his diesel truck in the middle of the night and left it running for an hour or more, someone shot out Donald’s lights (they suspected Laron did it), Donald calls sheriff but Laron denies he shot out the lights, Donald had 13 security lights aimed at Laron’s windows and they couldn’t sleep, someone wounded two of Donald’s mom’s cats with pellet gun, Laron denies harming animals because he loves them, Donald called animal control about Laron’s dogs claiming Laron didn’t have licensing to breed dogs, Donald contacted media, animal control took some of the dogs & Laron was fined for ordnance violations, Laron could not breed the dogs anymore, Laron was described as unpredictable, others said Donald was the aggressor, Laron sprayed Donald’s mom with water and Donald threatened to kill Laron, Donald smeared Laron’s name in any way he could, Donald called the EPA about a polluted well on Laron’s property, Donald wouldn’t let Laron use his property to remove the debris from the well, someone removed a property stake from Laron’s land, surveyor told Laron about Kenneth Vaughn, Donald had same issues with Vaughn, they were both fighting over 3 or 4 feet of property, according to Donald’s mom, Kenneth stopped taking medications, Kenneth drew a gun on Donald and Donald shot him in self-defense, but some believe Donald was jealous of Kenneth and it was murder, Donald’s fence was on Laron’s property but he refused to move it, Laron started fearing for his life, some neighbors said Laron wasn’t a nice guy, Donald called the sheriff’s department over 200 times throughout the years, Donald told cops he hopes he never has to kill Laron, Laron received a letter from a psychiatrist at the local VA cautioning him that Donald threatened to kill him, VA advised him to contact the police immediately, Laron tried to get a restraining order with new information but the judge wouldn’t allow the letter from the VA due to rules of evidence, psychiatrist couldn’t be at hearing so restraining order was denied, Laron made a ‘murderer’ sign and it pointed to Donald’s property, Donald was very angry about the sign, Donald reached out to the media asking for help with Laron, local police still didn’t take any action, physical altercation occurred between Donald and Laron and Laron allegedly beat the crap out of him, attorney told Donald to get a restraining order and they were successful using elderly laws, police were concerned that someone was going to get hurt or killed, there was constant feuding, the restraining order amplified the fear and hatred between them, Donald started carrying a gun so he wouldn’t be beat up again, the cops said the threat was from both sides, they were both pointing guns at each other and making threats, Laron pulled Donald off a ladder while he was trying to poke holes in the privacy fence, Donald fired his gun at Laron, Laron’s family said Laron was on the ladder trying to tape up the holes in the fence, Donald claimed Laron was trespassing and called the police, Donald pointed his gun at him and as Laron was running from the scene, Donald fired his weapon twice and shot Laron once in the back, Laron bled out and died on his property, at trial Donald claimed self-defense after characterizing Laron as a bully.Disposition: Easley found guilty of murder, sentenced to 25 years to life in prison

In the News:

Detectives arrested Donald Easley in Kerby Monday afternoon. The charges against Easley are murder and unlawful use of a firearm.Josephine County Chief Deputy District Attorney, Lisa Turner, says this is not a case of whodunnit? Last weekend police say Easley shot and killed his neighbor, Leron Estes.Estes’ wife told News 10 last week her husband was fixing a privacy fence and fell into Easley’s yard.Police say Easley fired at least one shot, killing Estes.This case, we know who did the crime, but then we have the other issues with in regards to are there going to be self-defense issues and other dynamics that may not be involved in other cases, Turner said.Easley is being held in the Josephine County Jail awaiting his arraignment, to be held tomorrow, Tuesday. The case will then go to the Grand Jury with self-defense being one of the main issues at hand for the prosecution and defense. -KTVL News10 (October 19, 2013)

The man suspected of killing his neighbor was in court Tuesday and he’ll be staying behind bars for a while. It’s been two weeks since Laron Estes was shot and killed, and Tuesday’s arraignment helped family to breath a sigh of relief. Donald Easley was in court, via video, where a judge denied bail. Estes wife, Barbara Hicks, says some of the weight lifted when she heard the person suspected of murder, will stay behind bars. Very grateful that I know he’s not going to be released, that we can all rest easy, she said. More than a week to arrest the Kerby man. Hicks says during that time she and neighbors feared for their lives. She knows it’s a long road through the court system ahead, but least she will able to go home and feel safe, it’s in god’s hands and it’s in the justice system right now and he will pay for what he’s done, Hicks said. Hicks came to court armed with support. Estes mother, and brother, were with there with her, to see the man they loved get justice. There’s a four letter word that describes Laron and it’s l-o-v-e, said Kathleen Devol Jackson, the victim’s mother.Estes was 59 when he died, he’s survived by not just his mother and brother, but a sister too and several step children. Loosing Estes widowed Hicks for the fourth time in her life, I’m lost, without, I love him and miss him very much, she said. A viewing will be held on Sept.21st, 2013 at Hull and Hull Church in Cave Junction. If you would like to help the family with final expenses you can donate at any Washington Federal Bank to the Laron Estes Memorial Fund. -KTVL News10 (October 19, 2013)